Lost Cause
by mistyhollowdrummer
Summary: It's his job. Being in this special operation requires apathy, a cold heart, and dead eyes, making him just the man to do it. Of course this doesn't mean he likes it. However, when he runs into three young teens in the worst possible situation a life could lead, it turns out that he isn't as heartless as he once thought he was. Modern day AU:Officer Levi, Prostitute Eren. Triggers!
1. Chapter 1: My Name is

**A?: Hi everyone! Okay, so I'm on the fray about this fanfic. I've uploaded this chapter, and I'm letting you decide. Should I continue it or just let it sit as it? Honestly, I'd like to, but I don't want to start a new project that people won't like. :1... Of course you need to read the fanfic, but ya know. XD So if you really like it, find it interesting, want to know what happens next, please let me know. ^^**

**But before we start! I have so many trigger warnings... As a matter of fact, just assume that every trigger warning known to man is here for this fanfic. There's a lot, and some I don't want to name because I'm ashamed of myself for writing this. X'D There are multiple pairings in this fanfic though! The main is Riren (Ereri, but does it really matter? It's all still really hot.), so just be prepared!**

**-Misty**

**Song of the day: Sugar Free**

**By: T-Ara (I chose this song, because this was the song I pictured playing in the background in the club. ^^)**

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><p><strong>Lost Cause<strong>

**It's his job. Being in this special operation requires apathy, a cold heart, and dead eyes, making him just the man to do it. Of course this doesn't mean he likes it. However, when he runs into three young teens in the worst possible situation a life could lead, it turns out that he isn't as heartless as he once thought he was. Modern day AU: Officer Levi, Prostitute Eren. (Lots of trigger warnings. You're going to hate me so much for this fanfic.)**

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><p><strong>Rated M for adult themes, sexual content, adult language, violence and gore, child abuse, rape, drug abuse, oh so much more that I can't even list.<strong>

**Main pairing: Riren. Other pairings with side pairings.**

**Anime: Shingeki N Kyojin (Attack on Titan) **

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: My Name is…<strong>

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><p>This was not a situation he approved of.<p>

Music pounding, lights blaring into his narrow eyes, the heat of the room unbearable, and he was dressed rather appropriately for it too. People were close, too close, bumping, grinding, and dry humping each other with no decency or respect for themselves or the people around them.

"Ignore them, Levi…" The older man lifted his head, looking up at the taller woman standing next to him, equally dressed for the occasion in thigh high boots, too short shorts, a crop top, and her hair pulled back in a ponytail, per the usual. She had her hands on her hips, an approving smile on her face as she looked about the rowdy crowd with interest. "They aren't like you and I. They are people trying to escape the worlds they live in."

"You seem to play the part better than I," Levi spoke up louder than his usual tone, but only to speak over the blaring music. He couldn't handle that, nor the heat, and he pushed his bangs back to relieve some heat, or at least to stop the sheen of sweat from dripping down his skin.

"I've done this more than you." She said and rolled her shoulders around.

"Yes, but not for work." Levi corrected. "Erwin says you frequent this place often. Is that how you found out about the prosti-"

"Come dance with me." The woman suddenly interrupted him, grabbing his arm and yanking him to the dance floor.

"H-Hanji!" He griped, but the taller woman didn't listen. Once on the floor, she was as close to him as everyone was to their "toys," her back to his chest and her hips rolling in a way he hadn't seen from her before. It was no turn on; oh hell no, not to him, and definitely not from her, but it was surprising. Sure, she was an eccentric person, but that only went so far in work.

The woman was moving in a way he hadn't seen from her before, and it was truly surprising. Of course, he was supposed to put on a show, make this look real, but how? Even for someone like him this was uncomfortable, a totally new environment and situation. He'd only seen situations like this in movies and on television, but those situations were blown way out of proportion. However, seeing everyone around him reenacting everything he had ever seen before on TV said something.

With a low growl, Levi placed his hands on her hips, swaying his own back and forth, though stiffly and in a way that indicated he was being forced into this. This was not something he cared for, not in the least. Hanji reached behind her head, leaning down so her head was against his shoulder. She threaded her fingers through the longer wisps of his hair and pulled, bringing his head close so she could press her lips against his ear.

"Five months ago, this became a playground for a new group of prostitutes. Three new teens were introduced to it, and they've been working here since. Mike wasn't aware of the exchanges at first, but he caught on by the scents soon enough. You saw the reports yourself."

"Yeah, I saw them." Levi now understood her intentions.

Hanji brought them out onto the dance floor where the music was the loudest. Even if they were yelling, no one would ever hear them. They had to dance to play the part, but no one would ever hear what it was they were discussing.

"Because of Mike and Moblit, we got pictures too. There's two boys and one girl, and you should know the girl. After running the pictures through the scanners, we came up with three of them: Armin Arlert, Mikasa Ackerman, and Eren Jaeger. Went missing three years ago after a house fire that killed Eren's mother. The father disappeared and hasn't been seen since, but was pronounced dead after the search was stopped. Mikasa Ackerman was adopted by the Jaeger's after her parents were murdered, and Armin Arlert was there that night for a sleep over with his friends. They were originally thought to have died in the fire, but after this, we know they're alive."

"You mean there were bodies for them?" Levi didn't react at all to the mention of the girl.

"Three bodies for teens, but something was off with the bodies to begin with. They never came up matching their faces, but the coroners said their bodies were too burnt to say for sure."

"Someone replaced them." Levi interpreted as he spun Hanji around so she could stand face to face to him.

"I'm sure they were, and the kids they brought in were alive when the house was on fire. This was all too thought out, too planned."

"Someone wanted them." Levi mumbled, more to himself than anyone else.

"Huh…?" Hanji asked and held her hand up to her ear. Levi rolled his eyes before turning the woman around again and pressing close to her.

"Why was the mother killed?"

"No idea. The father went missing though, and I have a feeling that since he was never found, he went into hiding. I think someone wanted _him_, and they set the house on fire to kill her, took his kids and used them for compensation."

"Look how well that turned out." Levi said. "What about Ackerman's parents, her mother? What was their deal?

"Three men wanted to sell the mother in human trafficking for her Asian origins, but she fought back to save her daughter after her husband was killed, and they killed her by accident. Mikasa was kidnapped, but Eren somehow found her and saved her life. He took two of their lives, and Mikasa took another to get free."

"At _fifteen_?" Levi inquired, eyebrows raised.

"At eight. She was taken in by them after Eren saved her."

"Are you telling me they were eight years old when they killed people?"

"Mikasa is older by a few months. Eren was seven years old, turning eight in a month."

"Fuck, that's messed up." The older man mumbled. Hanji spun around once more, chest pressed into his as she wrapped her arms around his hips and ran her fingers over his sides.

"They're supposed to be here tonight." She said and looked past the rim of her glasses.

"If that was three years ago, the kids are old enough now to be charged with prostitution themselves." Levi explained.

"Not necessarily. Armin is the youngest between the two, putting him at seventeen. He turns eighteen in three days, so we need to find them and get them the hell out of here." Hanji pulled Levi forward, nearly pressing their lips together, but her lips just barely skidded across his cheek to his ear. "I hear Mikasa and Eren's roles are reversed. Eren goes after guys while Mikasa goes after girls. That's our job tonight."

"And Arlert…?"

"He's the youngest. I'm assuming the two are protecting him to their extent, maybe making more money to compensate for him so he doesn't have to do anything and then lying about it to their pimps." Hanji explained, her eyes beginning to scan across the dozens of people in the room.

"Why do that…?"

"He's the baby. After reading more into their lives, I found out that Eren was constantly in trouble while he was in school. He fought off a bunch of bullies to keep Armin safe, meaning he was constantly suspended, even through middle school. When Mikasa came along, people tended to run from her, but shit still happened even when she was there, and she was constantly seen by Eren's side. If Eren was by Armin, then so was Mikasa."

"Do you think it'll be the same here…?"

"It's an older sibling doing anything to protect their younger one, even if Armin isn't a part of their family. Look at all of the shit they've been through. They'll be closer than any sibling related by blood. They'll have to separate for work, but they'll keep him as safe as possible. He may just be a wall flower standing around while they do their work, and he may promote them. I'm assuming that Mikasa will keep her eyes on Eren too if she's protective of him. She's the oldest after all."

"So we need to get them separated."

"What we should do is go after Armin. If I'm right and he's going to stand around, he's easiest to get to, probably the one to break easily or break down and lose it. Even if they're protecting him, if we separated Eren from him, Mikasa will follow."

"And that's where I come in." Levi grumbled. Hanji once again made a motion that she didn't hear his quiet voice, and Levi simply growled low before turning the two to switch their positions. Levi could see in the direction Hanji was seeing while Hanji saw in his, and it was only because Levi was shorter than her. She could cover areas that he couldn't, which was seriously annoying to him.

"You still remember what they look like?" Hanji asked against his ear. Levi nodded his head, saving his voice for when he needed it most. "Brown hair, green eyes, tan skin. Eren right?"

Hearing this, Levi turned around in her arms, his grey eyes glancing around where her vision was. Sure enough, there they were.

The three of them were just walking in, dressed up in outfits that were only appropriate for someone of his or Hanji's age, not theirs. The only girl with them must have been Mikasa, dressed in shorts that looked more like underwear than shorts, and a strapless top that left nothing to the imagination. Eren must have been the brunette that Hanji was talking about, though it was dark where they were standing. However, the little blond clinging to his side didn't look much like an Eren, and if his attitude and behavior was anything to go off of, he had to be Armin. Eren was obviously hiding his thin form from the wandering eyes trying to see his legs behind the too small shorts. His sweatshirt was made for the size of a giant, going down to his knees and unzipped to show how thin he was, and it was frightening to say the least how small he really was. Obviously it was a tactic of his, looking so innocent and breakable like any pervert would want, but his siblings were there for him.

And then there was Eren. Eren was a different case entirely, dressed rather casually, but enough to fit the crowd. His legs were fully covered by tight, black jeans that sat low on his hips. His shirt was black, a normal short sleeved t-shirt that was tucked in under the hem of his jeans. His appearance was more normal than the other two, but this had to be something they worked with. Was it possible that he was dressing this way more for the form of a body guard than a prostitute?

"Look," Hanji mumbled beside his ear, but it was still heard over the loud base. Levi watched as the three exchanged words, and Armin was nodding his head silently. He leaned against the wall closest to him, his arms falling behind his back and his legs extending out. Levi noticed the thigh high boots he was wearing, accentuating the curves in his body meant to mimic a girl's hourglass form. For a kid his size and age, he actually had some decent legs to him, but that was more so the boots than his actual legs. Eren pressed a hand against Armin's shoulder, mumbling something quietly to him. Armin nodded his head, and the two siblings then walked away.

Hanji nailed it.

"First we separate Mikasa and Eren, then, while you take care of Eren, I'll handle Armin."

"And Ackerman…?" Levi questioned.

"If we've got Eren and Armin, she has to give up. If she wants them safe, she'll follow along, but she'll be tricky. Watch out for her." After that, Hanji separated from Levi, disappearing into the crowd to begin her job. Levi sighed before his eyes followed the two teens, watching the way Mikasa stood close to Eren's side. Despite her closeness, however, the two acted as if they had never met each other. It must have been because of their looks, of how they easily could have pulled off being together had they tried.

They were dressed enough to play the parts, but it was for their jobs, not for themselves.

"Okay…" Levi mumbled and cleared his throat. He maneuvered his way off of the dance floor, eyes holding onto the two teens until he noticed them separate with a few small words. Mikasa sauntered her way onto the dance floor, but her black eyes were trained on Eren. Eren looked around the club, eyes looking for his next line of work before he slowly moved to the bar not far away. "Perfect…"

He considered this good in a number of ways. If the kid were to drink, well, all the more easy to catch him. If he sat there, he had his eyes on both of his siblings, knowing who they'd be dealing with, knowing if Armin was getting either of them service, and he had his chances of observing any drunks he could take for a joy ride.

Levi had to admit that he was impressed. They had everything worked out, down to the tinniest of details to keep each other safe. They were like a network, everything working like clockwork, pieces fitting together perfectly so their jobs could be done and they could continue living on another day with the hopes of food in their bellies. They had everything set up perfectly, and even though Hanji was able to read their plans, it was still impressive.

It would make this job all the more interesting.

Levi followed Eren closely, but not so close to raise suspicions. Eren took up a seat at the bar, waving down the bartender to get a drink. That's when Levi moved in.

"Blue moon please," Eren's voice was smooth, charming even though he was only asking for a pretty heavy drink, and deceiving all on its own, but Levi could hear the remnants of childhood still lingering behind the tone.

"Make it two," Levi announced behind him and took a seat beside the teen. Eren looked over with a sneer, green eyes wide and questioning as Levi settled beside him. "I'll pick up the tab."

Levi gave an all knowing look towards the bartender, towards _Mike._ Mike's eyes narrowed as he cleaned out a glass with a rag in his hands, but within a moment, his nose twitched and he shook his head.

"_Good, the kid hasn't done anything yet."_ Levi thought to himself and looked over at Eren.

"That's nice of you." Eren said softly, turning in his seat to face the older man who had offered to buy him his drink.

"Not a problem." Levi could see the way Eren's big eyes were already eyeing him up and down, determining if Levi was worth the time to earn the money. Any money was good money, but the kid probably wanted a lot more than what most people had.

"Do I get a name from you? I at least deserve one so I can thank you properly." Oh yes, he was charming indeed. The way his voice was smooth, teasing in a way, was easy to pull any man to him in a deceiving rope. The kid was good, meaning he had done this over and over again. He must have already had Levi pinned down too.

He was stuck up, tight, and unwilling to break. However, after a few drinks, he'd loosen up, and that's when Eren would work to earn his pay.

"It's Charles," Of course he wasn't stupid. He wasn't going to give his real name out to some kid who could easily mess with his life.

"Well then thank you for the drink, Charles. I'm Eren. It's nice to meet you." Although, Levi truly wondered why the kid would give out his real name. Was it possible that he had no choice? Was it so people could meet up with him again? If that was the case, then he wasn't only working at this club, but working outside of it as well.

He didn't have a choice, did he? No, of course he didn't.

"Nice to meet you as well, Eren." Levi said and looked around. Mike was taking care of others, but one pointed look told him to get his job done fast. "You know, Eren, you look pretty damn young to be in a club like this, let alone drinking such a heavy drink."

"You look pretty young yourself." Eren countered with as he turned back into his seat to rest his arms against the bar, back slightly arched in an alluring way. Oh, if only the kid knew. "Nah, I just turned twenty one. Thought I'd try out the big, bad world."

"Enjoying it so far?" Levi inquired.

"Not bad, not bad. Not all that exciting yet, so I'm not entirely impressed." Eren leaned forward slightly, watching as Mike brought back the drinks they had ordered. He handed Levi his first, and Levi was quick to notice that his drink was just water with some dyes in it to keep his head clear. Eren's had to be real, only because the kid would suspect him if it wasn't. The kid probably knew his alcohol by now, and that was sad all on its own. Then again, Levi had been drinking by the age of fourteen, so who was he to talk?

"Well then, happy twenty first, Eren." Levi said and lifted his glass. Eren lifted his as well to clink the glasses together before he nodded his head and took a sip. He watched Eren carefully, watching as Eren made sure just by the taste that nothing was wrong with the drink. Obviously he knew _well._

"Thank you," Eren said and set the drink down.

"So, twenty one and not enjoying the good life?" Levi asked while setting his drink down on the counter.

"Nah, not much. It's nice, the music and stuff, but I just thought there would be more energy."

"This isn't enough?" Levi questioned, truly taken aback by Eren's words. Maybe it was just him, but this was a lot of energy to him. Maybe that was just because he was getting there in the years.

"Well, not really. You always see in those rated R movies how everything is so perverted, people always hooking up, having sex, and then forgetting their names the next morning." Eren spoke with a laugh to his smooth tone, like what he "saw" in the movies was always true. "I guess I thought it'd be more like that."

"Are you saying that's the life you're looking for? You actually want something like that to happen?"

"Depends on how drunk I get…" The words were barely mumbled under Eren's breath, obviously intended for Levi not to hear him, but he heard him anyway. "I don't know. I've never done anything_ that _crazy before, and I guess I'm just "asking for it" as one would say."

"That's pretty dangerous stuff you're saying, kid." Levi muttered as he took another sip of his drink.

"Hey, I'm twenty one. I am _not_ a kid." Eren scoffed.

"I guess to me you are."

"Why, how old are you?" Eren asked, glass cup to his lips as he looked over him with glassy eyes.

"How old do I look?" Levi asked with a side smirk. Eren hummed to himself, barely scooting closer within his own chair.

"Well, I was told take away five years to be polite, so I'm going to guess… Twenty four."

"Not even close."

"Huh…?"

"Go up."

"Uhm… I don't know. How old are you?"

"I think I'll keep that a secret." Levi said and took another sip of his drink. Eren rolled his eyes before turning in his seat to look at him.

"Now you're just teasing me."

"Oh really…?"

"Yes really. I'm trying to get to know you better, but you won't let me in."

"And why would you like to know more about me?" Levi asked. Eren looked away, shrugging his shoulders with a nervous grin on his cheeks.

"I don't know…"

"Wait… Are you actually hitting on me…?" Levi asked incredulously, but he was only acting.

The kid was good, he'd give him that. His game was to play like it wasn't his intention at all, that it was just the heat and the alcohol. However, he didn't know that Levi was completely level headed and sober, that the alcohol had been fake, if not that then a little disgusting. He was sure his tongue was going to be blue later.

"Ah, maybe it's just the drink." Eren suggested and leaned back to rest against the counter, but not without arching his back again to accentuate the natural curve to the small of his waist and lower back.

"Well, maybe it is…" Levi muttered and took a rather large gulp from his drink. The shit was disgusting. "And maybe I might be interested." He said while looking out the side of his eyes. He saw the way the brunette's eyes glinted quickly.

Got him.

"Are you now…?" Eren raised his eyebrows as if he wasn't at all planning any of this.

"Well it's not like you wouldn't dislike it. It _was_ what you were hoping for." Levi openly mocked, but the kid didn't seem offended.

"Yeah, I know… Ah, but I can't." Eren said and rubbed the back of his neck. "Man, I can't afford stuff like that."

"Afford what, sex?" Levi asked.

"Well, not that. I-I mean like, I can't afford something like a sexual disease ruining my life. I've got school and bills to pay. It just wouldn't work out in my favor." Eren sighed as he carefully set his drink aside.

"Yet you can afford to come here and dance." Levi commented, watching Eren sneer at the disparaging remark. Levi sighed, knowing he had to get the kid to go with him. It wasn't easy though. This wasn't something he did on a regular occasion _obviously._ "Alright, so I'll work with you here. I'm obviously a little drunk now, so we can work with this."

"Oh…?" He was definitely good.

"Yeah, and I know you're pretty bad yourself, so don't try throwing this in my face. How about I give you compensation for tonight, so if something happens, you have the money to pay for medical bills."

"And if something didn't happen?" Eren asked while scooting closer again. "What would happen with your money if I didn't get sick?"

"Keep it. I've got a good job, lots of money, and I don't really do anything with it." Levi waved a hand around like it was nothing. "Then you could use it for school or whatever other shit you want to get."

"Huh… Psh, but paying for sex? That sounds like prostitution or something."

"Not if anyone didn't know…" Levi mumbled. Eren leaned his shoulder against Levi's, his head leaning on top of his. His hand lifted up to touch Levi's, his fingers running against his skin softly in a way that was somewhat surprising. The kid was good at being gentle despite his profession.

"Well… H-How much would you be willing to pay me?" Eren asked in a mumble. Levi remained quiet as he pulled out his wallet and looked around inside. He fished out the first hundred dollar bills he could find, having been given them from his boss for this operation beforehand. He had six of them, and after holding them up for the brunette, he could have laughed at how wide those green eyes could get.

"Do you think this is enough?" He asked the teen.

"Ah, y-yeah, I think so, but that's a bit of money, don't you think?" Levi could tell that the kid was trying his best not to snatch out for the money and take it. With what he did for a living, this must have been a lot of money compared to what he usually made.

"Like I said, I have a lot that I never use, and you can use it for school. So do we have a deal?" Levi asked and offered the money to him. Eren took it, his hands actually shaking as he pulled the money away. Levi must have truly made his day.

"Y-Yeah, sure. Uhm… So, now?"

"Well, I guess that would be a good place to start." Levi said and forced a small chuckle.

"Okay, so now we just need a quiet place to go." Eren mumbled and looked back to the dance floor.

"Yeah, not out there. Although I think no one would hear us." The older man openly joked.

"Yeah, I know that. I think I know a better place though. I heard that the club has private rooms. I mean… That's a place to start if that's true, right?" Eren was doing pretty well acting innocent, but Levi knew better. The kid knew this place perfectly, knowing _exactly_ what he was doing.

"Well if they do, we'll go there. You can keep that tucked away."

"Are you sure?" Eren asked.

"Yeah, come on." Levi said and stood up from the bar. Eren followed closely, keeping a hand on Levi's to be guided through the crowds around them still dancing with no cares in the worlds. Levi kept his eyes open, looking for the black haired Asian that was Eren's adopted sister, but she wasn't anywhere to be seen. She was either in hiding or with a client, and he was hoping for the latter option. If she was preoccupied, that meant that Armin would be able to be caught, and then Levi could deal with Eren.

The plan would work out accordingly, just like Erwin and Hanji had said, and then Mikasa would follow with no choice but to worry about her brothers. They'd get them out, and hopefully they'd get the bastards who kidnapped them and forced them into these terrible lives arrested and thrown in jail for the rest of their miserable lives.

After maneuvering through the crowds, Eren began leading Levi more than Levi was "supposed" to lead him. Eren knew exactly where he was going, so Levi didn't question a damn thing, not even when they walked up a set of stairs to find the rooms he had been talking about. No one was out in the hallway, so Levi considered that a good thing as the two of them made their way to a vacant room.

Levi would pretend that he couldn't hear what was going on behind the other doors.

Eren walked into an empty room first, Levi following close behind and closing the door behind him. Eren walked further into the room, inspecting the furniture and walls with mild interest before turning his attention back to Levi.

"So… What is it you're actually interested in?" Eren asked with a small laugh.

"If you're wondering about the four play, we can work with it. I don't really appreciate casual sex with all of the fun stuff skipped." Levi said and shrugged off his vest.

"Good, I'm not the type of person for that kind of stuff either." Eren said and looked away when Levi popped the first few buttons on his shirt open.

"Don't tell me you're nervous." Levi remarked while stopping from unbuttoning his shirt. "I thought you _liked _this kind of stuff?"

"I'm not nervous. I'm just trying to get myself together." Eren said as Levi walked closer to him. He had to play the part of drunk if he wanted to get this kid out of this situation, which didn't make much sense. He was the one putting him in it at the moment.

"Sure you are," Levi muttered before placing his hands on the kid's hips. Damn, he was_ thin._ This wasn't right for someone barely eighteen years old.

"Psh, I'm fine, _old man_." Eren remarked with a grin. Levi pretended not to hear that comment (though he preferred it to something relating to his height), before pulling himself up close to Eren's height and kissing his lips.

He really didn't like this. He didn't like it at all. He didn't like having to kiss a teen; no. He didn't like having to kiss a damn _baby_. He didn't like having to place his hands on the kid's waist and pushing them under the edge of his shirt, trying to seduce him long enough for Hanji to catch his blond friend and his sister. He didn't like it, but he had no choice. If it meant the kid would get out of this alive, maybe get his life together and be able to live the rest of his life out in peace (and there was so much of it to live), he had to do this. If it meant giving him another chance, then he needed to suck it up and deal with it.

Well, it could have been worse. The kid could have sucked at kissing. He could have been less tempting, or maybe he could have sucked at the small, soft touches he placed against Levi's arms, almost timid in a manner.

Levi found himself quite enticed by the little brat. It definitely could have been worse for sure, but he was surprised to find himself not complaining. He moved forward a little, pressing into his lips even more as his hands found his hips. He felt Eren's lips move, his head tilting to the side to avoid their noses bumping. His skin was smooth, his lips softer than Levi had originally predicted, and he had to reprimand himself for thinking that way.

Eren's arms wrapped around Levi's shoulders, his body pressing into his. Damn him for his height, but it didn't seem to upset Eren any. He tangled his fingers into the loose belt loops on his pants and pulled, bringing their bodies close so they could press together.

Truly, what was he thinking? And what was this brat thinking? Why was he already so aroused? Was he hoping for this to be over as soon as possible?

Levi had to stop losing track of the situation at hand. While he hated doing this, he needed to focus, and what he needed to focus on was this kid and his lips.

His soft, warm lips that were practically drowning him. Eren's lips parted on a nearly silent gasp, and Levi's tongue unconsciously darted out to lick at his lips. The smallest of sounds left Eren, maybe a moan or a whimper; Levi wasn't sure. He moved to kiss him again, but this time it was more.

With mouths open, teeth clinked together as their tongues began a sensual dance. Levi could taste the alcohol on the kid's lips and tongue, and _damn,_ he shouldn't have been aroused by that. He shouldn't have been feeling warm, especially when Eren's hand moved under his shirt, his cold fingers touching his stomach. His fingers moved higher, curious and ginger, and Levi parted before pulling at his arms, moving him back towards the bed.

He wasn't going to let this kid get the best of him. Surely a kid wouldn't get under his skin, and he would make sure of it.

He turned them, making sure Eren's back was facing the bed before lightly pushing at his chest. Eren's knees hooked over the edge before he leaned back and fell against the bed. As soon as his back was against the mattress and duvet, Levi sat in between his legs, his knees sitting on either side of the kid's long legs that were wrapped around him.

"Are you sure about this, kid?" Levi asked, looking down into dark green eyes that widened in surprise.

"What…?" Eren asked, his hands stalling before they could reach for Levi's hips.

"I may be drunk, but I'm not that drunk. If you want to back out now, I'm sober enough to let you go." Levi sat back, trying to avoid Eren's advances while he still had the chance. The kid had the chance to back down if he truly wanted to. Levi was giving him the opportunity to, and judging by the kid's reaction, no one had ever allowed that for him.

So he would be the first, and he hoped the kid would back out, and he hoped that this could end quietly. However, that didn't seem to be what Eren wanted. He sat up on one elbow, his free hand extending out and snatching the collar of Levi's shirt. One good, hard yank pulled Levi down with him, and Eren's lips barely missed their mark, catching at the side of his mouth before fixing that little mistake and kissing him fully on the lips.

Levi could have scoffed if his mouth wasn't being occupied by the brat. Eren was challenging him, wasn't he? The kid was testing him, because Eren hadn't been treated with respect before, hadn't ever been asked what _he_ wanted and not what someone else wanted. It must have been unsettling for him, and he was just looking for someone to take advantage of him, to feel some sense of normalcy between the two. It was sickening in its own way, but Levi was reminded that he had a job to do, and in order to do that job, he needed to get this kid out of this situation.

Just a little longer. He needed to keep telling himself that. Just a little longer stalling him, and then it'd be over.

So with that thought in mind, he simply continued kissing the brat, his hands pressing into his chest and waist and hips, wherever they could reach to keep the kid distracted. Eren's arms looped around his shoulders, his fingers carding through his hair, feeling the transition of his undercut to the short wisps of black hair. He pulled, and Levi had no choice but to put his weight against the kid, not with the way Eren kept pulling him forward.

That was when he felt the hardness within Eren's tight jeans pressing into his thigh.

Eren sighed against his lips, his head lolling back when Levi tried readjusting his position so he wasn't against him, but that only pressed his knee further against the boy. His hips rolled, his legs trying to wrap around his hips, trying to find more friction, and Levi had to bite his lip to keep from barking at him in panic.

Eren was getting far too into this, and Levi needed to put a stop to this before things got out of hand. In this position, it was so easy for Eren to find the gun hidden away on his person, and he couldn't let that happen. He might as well blow the whole operation before it even really began. Levi wouldn't let that happen, _wouldn't_ let that happen. He hadn't come this far just to fail.

Eren suddenly moaned, his hips grinding against Levi's and yanking him from his thoughts. Levi felt his body go numb, his mind going blank, but kept just one goal in mind. He pressed his lips against Eren's neck, sucking on the skin hard enough to leave a bruise. It was enough to make Eren turn his head away, his brunette hair falling in front of his closed eyes as he focused on the sensation.

Fully distracted, Levi reached back to grab at Eren's leg and hook it against his waist. Like this, he could reach into his pocket and pull out the handcuffs he'd kept hidden away without Eren noticing. His other hand moved to unwrap one of his arms from his shoulder and weave their fingers together. The touch was intimate as he pulled away from his neck, but it was enough of a distraction to pull his arm above his head, close enough to the bed post.

Eren barely opened his eyes before he felt the cold metal against his wrist, heard the clicking of one of the handcuffs around him. He looked up before he had time to pull his other arm away, and his free hand suffered the same fate, being locked up in cuffed that were linked around a small bed post.

"H-Hey-!"

"Keep it quiet, Eren." Levi commanded as he sat back.

"I'm not into this kind of crap, you piece of shit!" Eren practically hollered as he kicked and thrashed beneath Levi.

"Stop it! I'm trying to help you!" Levi hissed as he grabbed at Eren's legs that were trying to kick him away. One kick nearly landed at his shoulder, but Levi was glad he was born with fast reflexes, or that would have ended up worse than it was, but it was over quickly. Eren paused, completely frozen by Levi's words. Levi didn't realize his mistake until the words had already left his lips, but he saw the realization dawn on Eren just by the look that fell over his face.

"_Mikasa!"_ He cried out in panic and began thrashing within the older man's grasp. Levi was ready to cover his mouth, to stop him from altering anyone that Levi was there with these intentions, but there was the faintest sound of a click from a door behind him.

Levi turned around to see the source of the sound, but even someone with the best reflexes in the world couldn't prepare themselves for the sudden hit to his head. Levi was out cold after that, the world around him dark for only a few moments. He knew only a few, because his eyes opened to the panicking teens still around him. Everything was muffled, his head was aching with pain, and was that blood dripping over his eyes?

"Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine!"

"That fucking bastard…" Levi could barely make out what was happening around him, though he could still see some things, like the two teens as they tried to get Eren free from Levi's trap, or the heavy, metal lamp post leaning on the edge of the bed, the tail end of it covered in his blood. Had she really used the end of a lamp to knock him unconscious?

"Armin, hurry up!"

"I'm trying!" Why was Arlert here all of a sudden? Had they all followed Eren? Where was Hanji then? She was supposed to be watching Armin and Mikasa. "Pardon me, sir." Armin mumbled, quickly noticing that Levi was barely awake.

His hands were against him, feeling around his pockets and touching for something. He quickly pulled out the gun he found sitting under the rim of Levi's pants, then went for the ID hidden away right beside it.

"Fucking hell…" Eren cursed and yanked at the cuffs. "Where are the keys?"

"Right here," Armin said as he pulled the keys out from Levi's back pocket. He tossed them to Mikasa who was quick to get Eren out of the cuffs. While Mikasa busied herself with that, Armin started looking at Levi's ID, and to the older man's unfortunate luck, his badge. "E-Eren, he's a cop!"

"What…?" Eren asked in shock, his hands finally being released.

"That means the woman was too," Mikasa hissed under her breath. Levi tried moving, but his body felt so heavy, as if he weighed all of the world's lead production.

What did Mikasa mean about the other woman? She was referring to Hanji, wasn't she? What had they done with Hanji?

"Shit, this is messed up." Eren hissed under his breath as Mikasa took the ID from the blond. She looked over it, and Levi would have outwardly cursed if he could. He saw the look come across her face, her doll-like features becoming confused as she read over his name again and again. Confusion and more confusion, and then anger.

Mikasa took up the lamp she had hit him with earlier and lifted it. Levi closed his eyes, prepared for the bludgeoning to begin, but it never came.

"Mikasa no! It's enough already that you hit an officer with that! You can't kill him too!" Armin sat in front of Levi, his arms up and keeping Mikasa from lashing out at him.

"Watch me!"

"No, let's just go home, okay? I don't want to be here anymore," Armin begged the elder sibling, his hands reaching up to take the bloody object from her. Mikasa's arm fell loosely by her side, a look of disgust on her face, but whether it was directed to him or Armin, Levi couldn't be sure. Instead of attempting to kill him (And Levi needed to remember to thank Armin one day if he didn't bleed to death), Mikasa pushed Levi's ID into Eren's chest and stormed off. Levi didn't see which direction she walked off too; all he could do was watch as Armin stood up off of the bed, his knees covered in blood and staining his shorts as he stood by Eren.

Eren's eyes were looking over the ID though, and for a moment, he was completely apathetic, his expression distant. What was he thinking? Levi could only wonder. Soon enough, however, his question was answered.

Eren scoffed while pocketing the ID into his jeans. He picked up the badge Armin had left on the bed and pushed it close to Levi's face, and all Levi could do was manage a tired frown.

"I knew you weren't a _'Charles'._" He quipped, leaning down so he could meet his cold, but sleepy gaze. "You better be careful, Officer Levi Ackerman. Our boss doesn't like it when his best are messed with."

Was that a threat? Now that Eren had his ID, it was the worst case scenario. Levi wanted to panic more, to reach out and throttle Eren for messing with him when he was only trying to save the kid's life, but he was so tired. So, _so tired_. He wanted to be more concerned, but how could he?

Right now, all he wanted to do was sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: Remember to let me know what you think and if I should continue it. ^^**


	2. Chapter 2: It Takes a Great Mind

**A/N: Hi everyone! Terribly sorry for the late update! Internet issues, as well as niji con today... Whoops. Anyway, "Dead of Night" and "The Change You Wish to See" are coming up next week! For now, enjoy this chapter... Hopefully! XD I tried... I did... But then I finished watching DRAMAtical Murder... And then my heart just burst into flames. Fuck that anime... That ending... *dead from the feels* **

**-Misty**

**Song of the day: Error**

**By: VIXX**

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><p><strong>Lost Cause<strong>

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><p><strong>It's his job. Being in this special operation requires apathy, a cold heart, and dead eyes, making him just the man to do it. Of course this doesn't mean he likes it. However, when he runs into three young teens in the worst possible situation a life could lead, it turns out that he isn't as heartless as he once thought he was. Modern day AU: Officer Levi, Prostitute Eren. (Lots of trigger warnings. You're going to hate me so much for this fanfic.)<strong>

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><p><strong>Rated M for adult themes, sexual content, adult language, violence and gore, child abuse, rape, drug abuse, oh so much more that I can't even list.<strong>

**Main pairing: Riren. Other pairings with side pairings.**

**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan) **

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: It Takes a Great Mind…<strong>

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><p>"Ouch... Ouch... Ouch, Nanaba, I said ouch!" Levi barked and leaned back against the bed.<p>

"I'm sorry, captain, but I have to make sure there isn't any more pieces of paint in your wound." The blond haired woman explained while setting the tweezers down onto the tray. "I think you're good though."

"Good." Levi hissed and placed his bloodied towel over his head.

"How's your head feeling, captain?" Nanaba asked, her worry obvious. It wasn't everyday where someone like _Captain Levi Ackerman_ would come in with such an injury.

"Like hell. I feel like I've been hit by a bus." The man retorted.

"Not so much a bus, but a _lamp_." Hanji said from her bed, reminding Levi that she was still in the room, still laying in her hospital bed with her hands over her stomach.

"Right. Remind me to ground Mikasa for beating her own uncle over the head with a metal lamp post later." Levi growled and pulled the towel back to look at the damage. It wasn't pretty. "And for drugging you…"

"I don't think she recognized you, Levi." Hanji muttered and started to sit up from the bed, but her whole world spun around her, making her fall back against the bed before she could vomit.

"Not at first, but when she saw my ID, she put two and two together. I think she recognized me when she got the chance to look at my beaten and bruised face."

"Maybe she was ashamed that her own uncle saw her in such a compromising position." Hanji suggested.

"Or maybe my niece hates my guts. I only ever saw her a few times every few years when my sister and her husband were alive, and I never went to my sister's funeral when they were murdered." Levi tossed the towel away, deeming his head drained of enough blood to stop bleeding for the time being. "She ended up in this situation without me knowing. Had I known she was alive after the fire, I would have taken her in, kept her out of this. Maybe she wouldn't be there if it wasn't for that."

"Levi, don't hold that against yourself." Erwin spoke up, announcing his presence in the room. "When she was fifteen, you were in a bad place yourself. You weren't capable of taking care of a child, let alone-"

"Erwin, if you finish that sentence, you're going to find out what it feels like to have a Demerol needle shoved up your ass." Levi warned, barely sending a glance over his shoulder to the taller blond.

"Sorry, I know how you are about that." Erwin apologized, his face showing the worry from the mental images of Levi's graphic threat. "That's why you aren't going to like what I have to say." Levi looked at him this time, curious by the man's odd words.

"What...?" He asked skeptically.

"I'm taking you off the case, Levi." Erwin said, a sigh escaping his lips in between his words.

"What, why? What did I do to deserve that?" Levi stood up from the bed, momentarily blindsided by his dizziness. He was able to recover in a short amount of time, however, and he was able to stand his ground once again to the unbelievably tall man (tall to him, because he was considered short). "Erwin, if this is about my injuries, they aren't that bad."

"That's not what this is about. Levi, Mikasa is your niece, and I didn't even think about it until I realized it when it was too late. This is too conflicting for the case, and you can't be on it as long as Mikasa is involved."

"Erwin, I don't let my emotions cloud my better judgment. I thought you knew that by now." Levi growled, trying to make himself seem taller so he could feel some sense of pride.

"I _do_, Levi, but a jury won't. If this all works out and we get them to court to help them, your case would go against theirs. Besides, after all you've been through, lawyers would use that against us and the kids. We can't run the risk of whoever has them getting out of this without punishment."

"They're selling these kids off to a bunch of child loving perverts! They'll get punishment regardless!"

"But not for as long as we want." Erwin set his hand down on Levi's shoulder, feeling how tense Levi actually was without showing it. "I'm sorry Levi, but I can't run the risk. As of right now, you're off the case." Erwin apologized with a somber tone. Levi huffed, his arms crossing over his chest like a child.

This was completely unfair, and this was the only time he'd whine like a brat himself. He had never done anything wrong for a case; he had only ever done what Erwin told him to do, and it always worked out. However, the situation was different. His niece was involved in this situation, and that would make anyone who didn't know him doubt his mental capabilities.

This was seriously unfair.

"Erwin, I need to talk to you about Armin." Hanji huffed for air as she sat on her elbow and side, forgetting about her nauseous stomach for a moment to gain composure.

"What about him...?" Erwin asked.

"If this is about what he did for me, we'll send him some flowers later. I have to thank him for keeping Mikasa from beating me to death." Levi said sarcastically as he sat back down on his hospital bed beside Nanaba.

"Well, that too." Hanji mumbled.

"What is it about Armin?" Erwin asked again.

"Erwin, he's _smart,_" Hanji said in a rather grave tone, as if the situation called for it. Maybe it did. "And I don't mean my kind of smart, which he is too. He's your kind of smart. He's always five steps ahead of everyone else. He must have known our faces from TV or something, because as soon as he saw us, he planned against us. I should have thought through that, that they would have known our faces somehow, but I didn't."

Hanji hissed, her stomach doing flips on her.

"I should have known that Mikasa slipped something into my drink too. I didn't even realize it until I was on the floor in pain."

"And by the time you realized it, Mikasa was already beating me in the head." Levi mumbled. "I don't think that was part of Arlert's plan though. He defended me when Mikasa tried going after me the second time. If it wasn't for him, I might actually be dead right now."

"So Armin is still kind despite his situation and how he's had to live these past few years." Erwin mumbled to himself.

"No, he's level headed. I'm sure he's a sweet kid, but he thinks just like you do, Erwin."

"And one Erwin wasn't bad enough." Levi whispered to himself. Hanji barely cracked a smile, but it quickly turned into a frown when her stomach lurched.

"Hanji, lay back down. You can't move around like that." Nanaba instructed and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, directing her to lay back down.

"S-Sorry," She apologized and leaned back into her bed.

"So we're dealing with a mastermind pretty much." Levi summarized for the woman.

"I thought that I was right about them, but I had it totally backwards. It's Armin we should be concerned about, not Eren or Mikasa." Hanji sighed. Laying down seemed to help her stomach some, but there was still a pain that wouldn't go away.

"No, you were right about a lot of things. Armin is still the baby, and Eren is still protective of him. Mikasa is protective of both of them, and she's very much the older sibling of the situation, even if she's only older by a few months. We didn't take into consideration that any of them would be on Erwin's level, but we know now. We can think of something before they do and hopefully not have it backfire." Levi explained.

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><p>The bedroom door was slammed open, Eren ragging into the small, cold room in a fit of emotions. Was he scared or angry? Was he anxious or nervous? It was probably all of those emotions and more.<p>

"Shit, shit, _shit!_" He cussed up a storm as his siblings followed him into the room, Mikasa shutting the door behind them so they didn't disturb anyone and get themselves in trouble.

"Eren, calm down," Mikasa tried to sooth her friend, but the situation was even getting to her, the one who seemed to be the most level headed from the group. That was only because of how quiet she was, how emotionless she could pass off, but that wasn't the case. Anyone would argue with it, but Mikasa cared more for them than people could see, and Eren and Armin knew it well.

"I can't calm down, Mikasa!" Eren hollered before tossing his shirt across the room.

"Eren, please. Panicking like this won't solve anything." Armin said softy, trying to calm his friend down. Armin's words seemed to do something more for him than Mikasa's, and Eren stopped his frantic pacing to breath.

He knew he should have remained calm. He didn't mean to throw a fit or panic the way he was. He didn't mean to upset Mikasa or Armin like he was either, but he couldn't help it. He was scared about what had happened, what would happen to them now.

"I'm sorry..." He apologized. "I didn't... I don't mean it..."

"We know, Eren..." Mikasa said while touching her brother's shoulder.

"I-I just... I don't want to be uprooted again." Eren murmured, his green eyes watering as he looked up to his siblings. "I don't want you guys upset..."

"You look more upset than we do, Eren." Armin joked, but his own blue eyes began tearing up. Eren laughed, taking up Armin's hand in his own and showing a softer side to the teen, a softer side that only the two others in the room had seen.

"Oh lord, do I have to leave you two alone again?" Mikasa asked, referring to their closeness as a perverted comment, but it was a joke, meant to bring smiles to her sibling's faces, and it worked. Armin laughed it off while wiping his eyes off with the sleeve of his heavy sweater, and Eren acted as if he hadn't shed a single tear, which he had.

"No, we're okay." Armin assured.

"For now at least..." Eren mumbled and looked to the two of them. "What do we do now...?"

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><p>"What do you think, Erwin...?" Hanji asked.<p>

"If the kid thinks like you, you should know what he'll plan next." Levi muttered. Erwin walked over to the hospital room window, looking over the busy streets being doused in rain. "So what is he, what are _you_, going to do next? Where are you going to go now that you've been caught? How are you going to hide?"

"I wouldn't hide. Everyone would be expecting me to hide, and they'd be looking in all of the hiding places when I'm right there in their faces." Erwin muttered, but it was to himself. He placed a hand on his face, his fingers running over his chin lightly in thought.

"So where would you go?" Levi asked while crossing his arms over his chest.

"... If I were Arlert... I'd go back to the club tomorrow night."

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><p>"Wait, what?" Eren gaped in surprise.<p>

"Armin, we can't do that." Mikasa said, her arms crossing over her chest to keep herself warm in her small outfit. "That's suicide. That is just asking for trouble."

"No, we can go for a few more days at _least._" Armin assured while shrugging off his jacket.

"Why...? The cops will be all over the place." Eren told him, following Armin as he walked over to their shared closet.

"No, because they won't expect us to go back so soon." Armin yanked off the tiny pair of shorts he was wearing to throw on a pair of sweats, something more comfortable and something he could sleep in. "And Eren, you have Officer Levi's ID. More than likely he'll tread lightly and be afraid to go back, especially now that you know who he is."

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><p>"Erwin, they wouldn't go back, not now when they know we are aware of them."<p>

"And that's why they'll go." Erwin explained while looking back at them. "Levi, Eren has your ID. He's using that as a sort of insurance, assuring that you won't mess with him again. Armin knows that just as well, and if he's like me, he'll know that you'll be too afraid to go back again, at _least_ for a few days. Armin knows they'll have a few days there, enough time to figure out an explanation to give to their pimps and run away before it's too late."

"But what if their pimps hurt them?" Hanji asked. "They'll take this whole excuse of them needing to leave because of us as their fault."

"I don't know if that's completely true." Levi mumbled, leaning against the edge of his bed. "It was really blurry, but I remember Eren saying that his boss 'doesn't like his best being messed with'. If they're this guy's 'best,' then he'll be nicer to them then to others."

"Assuming if there are others." Erwin said. "We don't know what percentage of the prostitution in this city belongs to their pimps, or even if anyone else does."

"What do you mean by that?" Levi asked with a frown.

"If they're this pimp's "best," they may be his only kids. He may just be using them, keeping himself at a low key." The blond explained and walked over to Levi's bed.

"So he's protective of his 'kids'?" Hanji asked and slowly rolled onto her back.

"Right. Regardless, they're going to try and fight this, try to keep their secrets for as long as they can. They don't want to cause any trouble, and I'm guessing Armin is the one who's keeping Mikasa and Eren safe. He's the smart one making up the excuses."

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><p>"So what do we say to him…?" Mikasa asked, her heels abandoned for a pair of comfortable socks. She was relieved to be rid of the evil contraptions, and once again she found herself questioning why the damn things even existed.<p>

"I have to figure that out…" Armin sighed, his hands running through his hair and messing it up. Anyone could see how easily this got to Armin, how much weight this put on his shoulders, and if they knew the boy, his sister and friend like the three of them knew each other, then they would know that Eren and Mikasa entrusted a lot of faith and hope into the boy. Armin never thought that was the case before, but after the two had confronted him about it, Armin soon realized that his friends never once found him weak or a burden. After that, the small blond used his natural smarts to help his friends, but it got to him, and anyone could see it. Knowing that was hurting him, however, didn't sit well with the others.

To try to make him feel better, because Eren would _never_ want his friend to suffer alone, Eren placed a hand on the small of his friend's back, offering up a sympathetic smile.

"Do that tomorrow morning. Let's just try to get some sleep." Eren said softly. Armin smiled back, nodding his head in agreement. Sleep sounded like heaven after such an exasperating day, and with a very heavy sigh of relief from Mikasa, the two boys' knew she agreed whole heartedly.

This was the happiest she had been in a while, removing the thing called a shirt and those tiny dance shorts and tossing across the room like they were confetti. This meant that she walked around bare until she found something decent to wear, but the teens had seen far worse than their own sister naked. They couldn't help but join her, finding better clothes to wear for sleep. What they wore for work wasn't even legally considered 'clothing', but it wasn't like they had a choice. They were just happy to be in baggy shirts, sweat pants, and _underwear_.

"What do you guys want for breakfast tomorrow…?" Eren asked while covering his mouth to hide a yawn.

"Well, if we can afford it, there's a new place opening up a few blocks from here. It looks like a cute little bakery. We could try there." Mikasa suggested while dropping down onto the twin sized bed in the corner of the room. Armin followed close behind, confirming that he liked the idea with a slight bounce as he jumped on the bed.

"That's _if_ we could afford it. I'm not sure if they're expensive or not." He mentioned.

"Well, after tonight, it may not matter." Eren said with a smug smile, his hands reaching into the pocket of his neglected jeans.

"What do you mean, Eren…?" Armin asked.

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><p>"You gave me real money to give to him?" Levi blurted from surprise.<p>

"I figured it would be more convenient for them in case this operation didn't work." Erwin divulged, not looking as half as panicked as he should have been.

"Erwin that was six hundred dollars you stuck in my wallet! Six hundred dollars that three teenage prostitutes now have in their grubby, little hands!" Levi barked, his irritation rising. This man knew exactly how to get under his skin.

"Levi, the whole mission didn't work. We came into flaws with the plan, and I knew that the mission failing was a huge possibility. I also knew that doing this when it could fail would jeopardize their situations and put them in hot water with their pimps. If they've got something out of it, something real and tangible, they can work with it, and it was a lot of money to work with. If they are smart, and I know they are, enough to fool you, Levi," And Levi would pretend that comment went right over his head. "Then they will ration the money, and that way, for the next few days after they run, they'll pretend to work, and then give the money back each night.

Erwin set a hand down on Levi's shoulder, trying to calm the man down.

"This will give them time, maybe some extra food, and at least then we're helping them without being there in person. We can't do much in this situation, but it's something better than nothing. We can imagine that they'll have a good breakfast tomorrow, and feel like their lives aren't shit for the next five minutes." Erwin stepped back, knowing full well that Levi would eventually snap his arm in half if he didn't.

Levi knew better though. He knew what Erwin said was the truth. He knew it, because Erwin was right.

Erwin was always right.

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><p>"Six hundred dollars…" Armin intoned, completely taken by surprise by the money Eren held in his hands.<p>

"That's more money than all three of us make in a few nights." Mikasa mused, her hands shaking when her brother handed her two of the bills.

"I figured it would all go to him anyway, but for now… Well, we can have a decent meal for once. He won't know, right?" Eren inquired while handing Armin two more bills. He took the last two for himself, leaving the three of them with equal amounts of the share.

"We could always ration it too… You know, give him thirty from each one night, twenty the next… Something to keep money in our pockets." Armin suggested, barely suppressing a yawn.

"That means we could have a few days off from this." Mikasa mumbled, the realization dawning on her in beautiful surprise.

"That sounds like a pretty good idea." Eren said, a smile on his lips. He and Mikasa watched as Armin yawned, his nose scrunching up in that cute way it always seemed to do. Eren chuckled under his breath before grabbing at the pillow closest to him and whacking Armin upside the head with it, knocking the kid down on the bed.

"Ouch, Eren! What was that for?" Armin laughed, but Eren was suddenly on him and knocking the wind out of him in seconds.

"Okay, you two, don't get so crazy now. We need to get some sleep." Mikasa said in a mother-like fashion, but the instructions were ignored as Eren tickled Armin just below his ears, in the spots he knew would make the kid laugh hard enough to pee himself. Of course Eren would back off before that point came, but it was fun just to see those tears pool together at the sides of his eyes.

"N-No, Eren! St-Sto-! Aha! Stop it!" Armin cried and begged, and finally, when Eren knew the boy couldn't take it anymore, Eren finally relented.

He pulled Armin's hands into his own, pinning them into the bed while Armin giggled off the last of the sensations. By this point, Mikasa had crawled into bed next to them, attempting to ignore their rowdy behavior in order to get some sleep. That was hard, however, when Eren began blowing raspberries on the side of Armin's neck.

"I'm going to kick you both out of the bed if you don't quiet down." She said over her shoulder and covered her head with the blanket.

"She's just jealous that I won't sit on her." She heard Eren whisper above the covers to Armin.

"I don't know why. You're so freaking heavy!" Armin huffed while trying to push Eren off of him.

"Hey, I take good care of myself!"

"Tell that to my lungs…"

"Oh really…? That's how you want to play it, Armin?"

Mikasa jumped when Armin shrieked, his legs suddenly thrashing out and kicking at Mikasa's own by mistake.

"Oh gross, Eren! You're such a boy!"

"What does that make you then?"

"Go to bed!" Mikasa cried in exasperation from under the blankets.

"Mikasa's mad," Eren whispered, finally getting off of Armin and crawling under the covers. Armin simply laughed it off, slipping in under the blanket next to Eren and settling down. As soon as Armin was safely situated, Eren pulled him close, his arms wrapped around the boy's smaller body and keeping him against his own. Armin only rolled his eyes, used to Eren's strange ways of affection by now, but he wasn't complaining. It would be a life of long, cold, and lonely nights if it weren't for Eren. "How's this…?" Eren asked, as if this whole thing was Armin's plan.

"This is nice…" Armin mumbled, his lips barely brushing against Eren's shirt collar. Eren leaned back, his eyes looking down into big, blue ones with an affection he held only for Armin. Quietly, so he didn't upset Mikasa again (Because she would kill him if it happened one more time), Eren leaned down, pressing a small, delicate, and ginger kiss to Armin's lips. Armin laughed quietly, the only indication that he had done so by the shake of his shoulders.

Eren's hand touched his cheek, a small sign of affection, because he knew that something like this was all either of them could handle. After the lives they had to live, the smallest bits of affections to one another were hard to enjoy, and it was harder knowing that at the end of the night.

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><p>"Sleep well, you two. I'll see you in the morning." Nanaba said softly before flicking the lights of the hospital room off. The room plunged into darkness, the only source of light coming from outside the windows from the city around them.<p>

Levi let out a gruff sound as he dropped onto his bed, the old hospital bed squeaking under the forced weight. He wasn't anywhere near tired, his eyes wide open and his heart beat thumping in his chest. He was mad, irritated, outraged; the list was endless.

"_I'm sorry Levi, but I can't run the risk. As of right now, you're off the case."_

"_Levi, you need to stay here. Rest, and we'll see what we can do."_

"_Erwin, these kids' lives are in danger. My niece's life is in danger."_

"_And we're going to do everything to save her and her family. Until then, stay here and rest."_

This truly wasn't fair. Levi never let his emotions cloud his better judgment. Sure, he had a past, and sure, he used to be that way, but he wasn't anymore. He had learned his lesson the hard way, and he would never put anyone's life in danger like that again, so why was he being punished? After so long, why did he still have to suffer the consequences of his mistakes?

"Levi," Hanji murmured in the quiet room.

"What…?" Levi practically growled out. Hanji shifted in her bed, laying on her side, but the nausea hit her quickly. The poor woman rolled back on to her back, a whimper leaving her before she could continue.

"What if this doesn't work?" Hanji asked out loud.

"What if what doesn't work?" Levi asked and rolled on to his side, his back facing her. There was still enough light in the room for them to see each other, and Levi didn't want the woman to see him practically pouting like a child. He was in all sorts of odds and ends tonight.

"Erwin's plan will work, but only if they don't try to run."

"Why would they run? If we've got one, then we've got the others."

"That's what I mean." Hanji spoke up a little louder. "Their situation… What if they've been told to leave one another behind?"

"They wouldn't do that. They're too close." Levi assured, but he saw the woman's reasoning behind her words.

"I'm just saying… If we've got one, what if the other two run? If we've got two, what if one runs? They're prostitutes, and if they're pimp truly wants them out of trouble, then maybe… They have no choice but to leave someone behind…" Hanji reasoned, her voice once again dropping.

Levi remained quiet, having no response for that.

Erwin's plan would work. It had to, but that meant the kids all had to follow. It seemed logical that, if they had one, the others would follow. If they had two, the last one would have no choice but to give in, but they didn't think about what would happen if they abandoned their own family.

If they were to get Armin, would Mikasa and Eren abandon their little brother? If they had Mikasa, would Eren and Armin abandon their own sister, the eldest in their little family?

What about Armin? Armin was the youngest, the baby. He was the smartest though, and most level headed. If he had been told to leave them behind, if he had no choice but to abandon his brother and sister to save his and his pimps own asses, would he do it?

Would any of them truly leave the other behind?

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><p><strong>AN: Okidoki, really quickly before we go, I gots to say somethinz~**

**Okay, so I was writing a later chapter to this, and as I was writing it, I thought, "... Damn, this is seriously harsh." Like, this is the "worst" writing I've done, because it's so descriptive, so detailed, and it's painful for me to even write let alone read. It's hard to read even for me, and I'm the one who wrote it. So as to say now, I want to say that the rating means 18+! Please, I know some of you won't listen to me, but this fanfic is rated M for seriously descriptive things and sexual content, and I don't want any underage people reading this. Yes, even at seventeen. Rules stand. The reason why is because there are so many trigger warnings, and they are serious. It's a harsh story, and if you continue to read it, you're going to find that out the hard way. So I'm begging you, if you're some thirteen year old, please stop reading. I don't want you reading this, not because I hate you or anything, but because I don't want to corrupt your mind. ^^' **

**And that was your news from channel 2, fan news. Have a good evening. *music plays and ending credits scroll by* **


	3. Chapter 3: Left Behind

**A/N: I am so sorry for the late updates! I have actually had two colds in the past two weeks, and the second cold gave me a nasty sinus infection. I'm finally getting over it though! Please no more colds. I can't miss anymore school so close to graduation. T^T I lost my new laptop to a broken mother board (Three months old, 1000 dollars later. e-e) I have my new one now, and everything was taken off of the old laptop before it was junked. Yeah. Stuff happened. This is why I say follow my tumblr. XD**

**But hey! I'm finally back on track! Updates~! I'm so glad to be putting stuff up again, because I've been bored! . Ask Marika, she'll tell you. XD Please enjoy the new chapter! ^_^**

**-Misty**

**Song of the Day (**Bum bum BUM~!)**: Mask**

**By: Stellar**

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><p><strong>Lost Cause<strong>

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><p><strong>It's his job. Being in this special operation requires apathy, a cold heart, and dead eyes, making him just the man to do it. Of course this doesn't mean he likes it. However, when he runs into three young teens in the worst possible situation a life could lead, it turns out that he isn't as heartless as he once thought he was. Modern day AU: Officer Levi, Prostitute Eren. (Lots of trigger warnings. You're going to hate me so much for this fanfic.)<strong>

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><p><strong>Rated M for adult themes, sexual content, adult language, violence and gore, child abuse, rape, drug abuse, oh so much more that I can't even list.<strong>

**Main pairing: Riren. Other pairings with side pairings.**

**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan) **

**Chapter 3: Left Behind**

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><p>"So uh… Where did you get the outfit from?"<p>

"If this is your way of hitting on me, Oluo, then you might as well slap _yourself_ in the face. It'll save you the time."

"Aha, s-sorry, Petra…" Oluo dropped his head, looking away from the woman sitting next to him in the passenger seat and forcing his attention on the road ahead of him. It was hard focusing on red lights though.

Seeing the woman of his affections in a skirt that was dangerously short and a tank top that showed off her belly was something new, something he'd never seen from her. Petra usually wore dress pants and long sleeved shirts, always being modest in her appearance. She always had soft, natural makeup that made her appearance look more defined, and her hair was always softly brushed and tucked behind her ear. He knew that this mission required dressing down for the occasion, but wasn't what she wore a little too much?

This short skirt should have been illegal, and he was sure those tears in it were intentional. Her tank top looked like something for a prepubescent teenager, and her bra straps were so visible from under it. Her hair was wild, sprayed back and out of her face. Her makeup was dark: Dark lipstick, dark eye shadow, and dark eyeliner. Her eyes looked so big and brown, more striking than before, but it was just too much for her naturally pretty face.

Anyone would get side-tracked by this, right?

"It's just… I didn't know you owned a skirt this short." Oluo tried again, trying to get rid of the quiet forming around them.

"Borrowed it from Anka." Petra replied, setting her head down on the window so she didn't have to look at him.

Well, that was a turn off. Instead of the image of Petra in a skirt, it was Anka Rheinberger, that prissy little brat from Commander Pixis's escort squad. That girl was only a few years older than him, and yet she acted like a twelve year old… When she wanted to be.

"Ah… Okay... Well then-"

"Are we there yet?" Petra asked impatiently. "I'm really sick of your come-ons."

"I'm not flirting with you. I'm just trying to make conversation." Oluo explained, though he couldn't even fool a baby. He knew he was flirting, and obviously it wasn't working. By the way Petra sent him an annoyed sideways glance, it was obvious that she picked up on it. "We're here…" He muttered dejectedly, defeated.

Petra lifted her head up, looking at the club Oluo was parking in front of. She sneered at the multiple types of people out there, because they all were the same in some manner. All of them with their revealing clothes and piercings. It was disgusting really.

She was so far above them.

"Something tells me you don't like this type of setting." Oluo guessed while putting the car into park.

"Not really. What upsets me more is that all of these people are here to get rid of their problems, and they don't even see what's right under their noses." Petra adjusted in her seat, her arms crossing over her chest after undoing her seatbelt. "They don't even see teenagers who were forced into this life, let alone care about them, and even then, they probably think their lives are worse off."

"That's not entirely true, Petra." Oluo said.

"They sleep with them too. It's _disgusting._ I can't imagine what they're thinking about."

"Try not to. All we can do is get them out of here. That's why we're here today, right? To get them out?" The blond questioned, honestly feeling sorry for her. Petra took too many things to heart, which wasn't a bad thing, not at all, but in this type of work, it was something that would bring anyone down.

That's probably why Oluo thought so highly of her. In a job like this where everyone had to give up personal feelings, she was the only one who hadn't.

"I guess…" Petra sighed before getting out of the car, and Oluo followed, locking the car and walking next to her up to the club.

"Come on, we've got a job to do. Perk up!" Oluo said before jabbing her arm. "If we're lucky, we get to knock some heads. Sound good?"

"I'm not hurting kids!" Petra gaped, and now she seemed disgusted with him instead of the situation.

"N-No, I didn't mean them! I meant- Ugh! You're such a woman!" Probably not the best choice of words on Oluo's part.

"Excuse me?" Petra asked, obviously offended by his statement.

"Wait, no, that's not what I meant!" Oluo gaped in fear. Petra scoffed before walking ahead, totally ignoring when he called out to her so she would slow down. Instead, she made her way to the entrance, ignoring him completely with arms crossed over her chest and a fast paced walk.

She'd rather deal with the greedy people in the club than him.

"Name…?" The bouncer inquired. Petra tilted her head to the side, her annoyance showing greatly.

"Really, Marlowe?" She asked, her hip cocking to the side. The man in front of her, the man she easily pegged as Marlowe, looked over his clipboard, giving her an eyeing warning, as if not to blow his cover. "Didn't think they'd let you out of the playpen yet."

"Miss Petra," He leered, his eyes scanning his surrounding area for people who may have overheard their conversation.

"Relax kid. They aren't going to take away your badge because we're talking like we know each other." Oluo explained.

"I don't care! I'd rather not take the chance!" Marlowe lowered his voice to a panicked whisper, covering the lower half of his face with the clipboard.

"Ah, the days of being a virgin cop." Oluo mumbled.

"This is my first undercover, and I'd rather not mess it up, so _please_…" Marlowe lowered the clipboard, cleared his throat, and lifted his head high. "Name please."

"God, now get out of the way." Oluo surely wasn't letting this child get in his way today. Not now or ever, and with that in mind, he shoved past Marlowe and walked into the club. Marlowe looked like a kicked puppy, his lower lip quivering in defeat as he lowered his head. Petra sighed, uncrossing her arms from her chest to humor him.

She remembered the days at her first job. She remembered being excited and happy about everything, yet everyone else wanted to bring her down. To this day, people still wanted to do that, and she never understood why.

Why do it to someone else?

"My name is Petra Ral." She said. Marlowe looked up at her with puppy eyes, seemingly happier now that she gave in. He smiled, moving out of the way for her.

"Thanks, Petra," He said softly and held the door open for her. Petra nodded with a meek smile before entering the building, instantly being blinded by the bright lights shining in her face. She covered her ears, her hearing not used to this blaring music, or was that even music? It sounded like some idiot high off of pot screaming into a microphone.

Was this what people listened to these days? It made Petra feel old for thinking that this wasn't anything like what she would listen to, and she was only twenty two.

"Hey…!" Oluo grabbed at her arm, pulling her to the side and yelling over the music so she could hear him. "You could play the part a little better!"

"At least I look young! You look like you're in your fifties!" She retorted with a shout. "Who's playing the part better now?"

"That's not the point!" Oluo had to yell to make his point clear, and to also make sure Petra could hear him. The music was just blaring. "And you know what?"

"Hey, wait," Petra said, her attention diverted to something else.

"No, I won't wait! I'm trying to-"

"Shut the hell up for five minutes and look!" Petra barked at him and pointed into the crowd. Oluo wanted to yell again, but his eyes caught the barest glances of what she was motioning to, and it got him silent quickly. He looked over to the direction she was motioning to, eyes finding what it was she had been trying to get his attention on.

Across the room, sitting over at the bar, were all three of the teenagers they were after tonight. All three of them were sittin, looking relaxed and calm after such a stressful ordeal they had to deal with yesterday.

Eren was once again in tight jeans and a t-shirt. From what Levi said, he might have been wearing the same thing as he had worn the night before. He was standing beside Armin, who was sitting down on one of the bar stools and nursing a cup of what could only be alcohol. Once again he was in a pair of short that were too small, maybe even smaller than the last, and thigh high boots. Eren must have made sure that Armin was wearing that oversized hoodie, because it was hot in here, yet Armin hadn't taken it off.

Just another thing to prove their relationship was so strong.

Mikasa was in a skirt that should have been illegal. In fact, if it weren't for the shorts that looked more like underwear, there would be too much skin showing. However, the jacket she was wearing compensated for that. All there was under it was a sports bra, and then the jacket covered everything else. It was disgusting really.

And Oluo thought that Petra was showing too much. This was ridiculous.

"Looks like Erwin was right…" Petra mumbled, but Oluo and her had taken the chance to stand close to each other, giving them a better advantage to speak over the crowd.

"Didn't Hanji say that they separate for work though? What are they doing being grouped together like that?" Oluo asked.

"They are working." Petra explained while pointing again. "Look."

Oluo looked again, and this time he could see that they weren't alone. The three of them were talking to two other men standing by them, both drinking and looking heavily intoxicated. It looked as if they were trying to get their next job, but with two people? They didn't know that they did that stuff.

"Shit, we're too late." Oluo cursed.

"Maybe not." Petra said, watching as the three of them exchanged glances before all of them set their drinks down and stood. "We can catch them in the act, arrest them, and get these kids out of here."

"Sounds like a plan." The man agreed. "However, we should seriously focus on the kids. If those guys run, we need to worry about them, not the drunks."

"Good idea," Petra sighed before beginning her trek through the crowd. Oluo followed on her tail, though kept his attention everywhere. If anyone were to see them, they didn't want anyone getting suspicious. They managed to make it to where the teens had been sitting with those two men before walking off in the direction they had, which was to a backdoor exit.

"I don't like this," Oluo said skeptically. Petra looked back at him with a look that agreed with him before looking at the door.

She didn't want to walk in on these teens having sex with total strangers. She didn't want to see a couple of _kids_ doing this to themselves, but what choice did they have? They had to stop them; they had to save them, and if it meant just a little disgust, that was all it would take to save them.

"Come on…" She whispered before pushing the door open. She winced as the cold air rushed against her pale skin, but she looked outside anyway. No one was directly by the door, prompting her to push it open more. She looked further, finding the alleyway next to the building to be where this door led to. She was about to look around some more, but when she felt something poking into her back, she nearly barked at Oluo.

"Take it," He whispered while placing a gun into her hands. "Just in case." He said while lifting his own. Petra nodded her head before the two of them walked into the alleyway. They could hear voices not too far off, but they were too far away to make out what was being said.

After turning a corner to a nearby parking lot, the two of them could see the teens with the two men before standing beside a rather nice looking car. Sleek, black, and narrow. Petra wasn't good with naming the brand of a car, she just knew that it looked cool. She also knew that the teens did not look happy at the moment, regardless of where they stood.

"I told you, it's only us." Eren's voice was strong and firm, but from where they stood, they couldn't read the expression on his face. Oluo and Petra had to duck behind a dumpster close by, just so they wouldn't be caught.

"Oh come on, man. You don't want your little friend to join us?" This wasn't either Armin's nor was it Mikasa's voice, meaning it one of the two men speaking.

"Armin just watches and gets off that way." That must have been Mikasa's voice, considering she was the only girl there. Petra looked past the metal lining of the dumpster to watch as one of the drunken men sauntered over to the teens, but it was Armin his interest was in.

"Come on, baby. I know that can't be satisfying. Let me treat you right." The man slurred, his hand touching the blonde's cheek in a gentle caress, or at least it looked like it from where they stood. Armin cringed at the touch, his nose scrunching at the smell of alcohol on the man's putrid breath.

Eren didn't like that at all.

"Hey…!" He barked and grabbed at the man's hand, only to twist his wrist and shove the man away. "I told you to leave him out of this. You're dealing with us, not him." He asserted.

So Hanji had been right. Eren and Mikasa were protecting Armin.

The man he had just shoved had to catch himself with every bit of balance he had, but when he did, the words Eren spoke processed in his hazy mind.

"Wait, you're a guy?" He asked while rubbing his head.

"Dude, that's messed up." His friend spoke up.

"Here I was thinking I could have a little fun with a pretty, young thing, and all I'm seeing is some faggot."

"Excuse me?" Eren gaped in surprise and anger.

"Eren," Armin tried to stop him, but Eren wasn't going to stand there and listen to someone call him names.

"What did you just say to him?" Eren asked, stepping forward to be in the man's face.

"Eren, don't." Mikasa warned.

"If we're going to do something, now would be a very good time." Oluo warned. Peta nodded her head before the two of them jumped out from behind the dumpster, arms raised with guns drawn.

"Police, stay right where you are!" Petra called out to them.

It could have gone better. It definitely could have gone _worse_, but it could have gone better.

The two men who were drunk to the point of falling over did as told, arms raised, palms flat and facing outwards, though they lost their balance in seconds and fell flat on their asses. That wasn't the plan for the three teens though.

Eren was the first to bolt after picking up Armin's hand to yank him forward. Mikasa followed quickly, moving ahead to try and trick the two officers. It didn't work out like she had planned though. Oluo went after her while Petra kept her eyes set on Eren and Armin.

"I said stop!" When Eren tried to run past her, Petra grabbed at the back of his shirt and yanked. Petra may have been short, and she may have been thin, but this small woman could take down people who weighed four hundred pounds and more on her own. Eren was tall, but he was light, giving her the chance to toss him into the nearest wall. In the boots that Armin was wearing, he became an instant whip. He didn't even make it into the wall before he tripped over an empty soda can and fell into a couple of bags of garbage that had been left outside of the dumpster.

"Eren…!" Mikasa cried, but Oluo was no push over either. He had her down against the ground with her arms behind her back in a couple of minutes. He cuffed her, but Mikasa was still struggling and fighting underneath him, leaving him no choice but to hold her down.

"Let her go!" Eren growled at them, but with a gun against his head, there was nothing he could do.

"Eren Jaeger, you're under arrest for prostitution." Petra began while yanking her cuffs out from the waistband of her skirt to put them on Eren's wrists. "Anything you say can and _will _be held against you in the court of law."

"Fuck you," He spat over his shoulder.

"Eren," Armin called out to him in a panic from where he still sat in the pile of garbage.

"Armin, run!" Eren cried. Armin's blue eyes that had been lining with tears widened, his expression one of shock.

"What…?"

"You remember what he said, so run! Go on!" Eren told him while struggling against the cuffs around his wrists.

"E-Eren, no…"

"Armin, don't you go anywhere." Oluo told him.

"Run, Armin!" Mikasa yelled with her face still pressed into the ground.

"N-No, I can't!"

"You know better!" Eren yelled at him. This was his way of actually berating Armin for his thoughts and actions. What Armin was doing was wrong. He shouldn't have been hesitating, because he knew better. He knew that he had to leave them. He had to leave and go home, but he wouldn't.

"Armin, stay where you are." Petra warned him, gun still pressed against Eren's head.

"Go, Armin!"

"Eren-!"

"Go!"

Eren was having none of it.

Tears finally spilled down the boy's pale cheeks as he stood. Without bothering to pat himself off of the garbage that stuck to him, Armin turned away and ran to the door to the building.

"Stop…!" Petra called out to him, but Armin had already disappeared back into the building they had just left.

"Petra, call for back up." Oluo remarked while adjusting his grip on Mikasa. Petra didn't say a word. She just yanked her phone out and dialed for Erwin's number before Armin could get too far. They had to catch him, or all of this would have been for nothing.

As she held the phone up to her ear and listening to the phone dial, she looked to Eren to find his green eyes glaring at her. He was pissed, among other things, but, like Armin, he had tears streaking down his cheeks and dripping against his shirt.

Hanji had been right.


	4. Chapter 4: Statistics

**A/N: Oh goodness gravy gracious golly miss molly! I am so sorry for this late update! Ehehe, I'm looking for another laptop. ^^' I know, two laptops in three months. This one, which I've only had for two weeks, lost a graphics card. The card just stopped working. Mind you, I bought this laptop, because it was meant for gaming, and it couldn't even play the SNK fangame by Fang. Really? Yes, really.**

**I'm using my old laptop now though. My reliable laptop of five years. It just warms my heart in a really odd way that this thing is still here. ^^'**

**Anyway, yammering done! New chapter! Yay~! I've actually been on a writing spree with this story, so I'm two chapters ahead. :3 Oh... The things you're going to go through with this fanfic. ^^' Again, lots of trigger warnings! Not so much this one, though they're there, but more to come. Dum dum dummmmm. Oh yeah, and I did think up another thing last night to add...**

**You guys really are going to hate me. ^^;**

**-Misty**

**Song of the day: Heaven**

**By: Ailee (A beautiful song that I highly recommend. Not while reading this of course, but definitely a beautiful song. ^^)**

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><p><strong>Lost Cause<strong>

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><p><strong>It's his job. Being in this special operation requires apathy, a cold heart, and dead eyes, making him just the man to do it. Of course this doesn't mean he likes it. However, when he runs into three young teens in the worst possible situation a life could lead, it turns out that he isn't as heartless as he once thought he was. Modern day AU: Officer Levi, Prostitute Eren. (Lots of trigger warnings. You're going to hate me so much for this fanfic.)<strong>

**Rated M for adult themes, sexual content, adult language, violence and gore, child abuse, rape, drug abuse, oh so much more that I can't even list.**

**Main pairing: Riren. Other pairings with side pairings.**

**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Statistics<strong>

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><p>"You lost him...?" Levi gaped in utter surprise, though the emotion didn't show on his face. He only managed a glare at the two sitting across from him as he leaned against the table.<p>

"We didn't have much to work with. It was only us after all." Oluo argued. Levi wanted to fight that reason, but he couldn't. It had only been Petra and Oluo on the case, so if one went missing, it wasn't so much their fault.

Who could have predicted that Armin would truly abandon his family? Who knew that, even in those heels he was forced to wear, the kid managed to run and hide from the police on a fifteen block radius?

Levi could only scoff. Hanji had been right in her assumptions, but that's where he began to question things. If she was able to think up the assumptions of one running away, then why not Erwin? Why could Erwin, the man who was always five steps ahead, not predict this as a possibility? Unless he had.

Was this a part of this plan? Had Erwin known about this, and still went along with it? He had chances, _risky _chances against the idea, but if he knew he'd get one or two out of the deal, it was better than nothing. That would have meant that he took the deal, bet, and only lost part of what they needed.

Levi wanted to argue, but he had no argument, and he wasn't going to try. Instead, he set his focus on the interrogation room across from them, his eyes watching a frantic Eren pacing back in forth in the room through the one-way mirror. In the room beside Eren's, Mikasa sat quietly at the table within the room, not a sound coming from her, and absolutely no anxiety from the situation.

It scared Levi how much she truly resembled him in personality.

"I'm sorry for putting you two through the fray like that." Erwin apologized while looking through a yellow folder. "I'll admit that it wasn't one of my better plans. However, you did manage to subdue Eren and Mikasa, and that's a big step in the right direction."

It sounded like that had been his plan all along. Maybe Levi was overthinking it, but he couldn't help himself.

"Do you think Armin will turn himself in?" Petra asked while tucking her orange hair behind her ear. "I mean, his brother and sister, his _only family _is in custody. He'd get scared from being alone, wouldn't he?"

"We could hope that is the case." Erwin said before sighing heavily. He set the yellow folder back down on the table and rubbed at his temples, his hair a little askew from it. Levi could tell that Erwin hadn't gotten much sleep recently. It would be the only explanation to his unkempt appearance, which heavily contradicted to his usual neat and organized look. "Nanaba, why don't you tell us about their positions right now?" The man asked while looking over to the blond woman sitting in the chair beside Oluo. Nanaba nodded her head quietly before lifting up the stack of papers she had been reading over, and what a huge stack of papers it was.

"On the case of Mikasa, she's five foot seven, ten pounds less than what she needs to be, and surprisingly calm in this situation." Nanaba said. "That one isn't a doctor's opinion though. She's pretty dehydrated, but we've been giving her water to fix that. After some... _Personal_ tests, I've found out that Mikasa has scarring and tears in... Obvious areas."

"Disgusting..." Petra hissed.

"She's under weight...?" Levi asked. This was his way of denying what he just heard about his poor niece.

"Yes. With Eren, it's a different story entirely." Nanaba set the papers down and sighed, a very similar action to Erwin's previous movements.

"What's wrong with Eren?" Petra asked, obviously concerned for the teen.

"Eren is extremely emaciated. He's twenty nine pounds less than what he needs to be, and after some tests, I've determined that Eren's muscles are deteriorating to compensate for his malnutrition." Nanaba explained. "Which would explain why it was so easy for Petra to pin him, or why Oluo was able to hold down Mikasa. Both of them are weak, especially Eren, and they couldn't manage the energy to put up a fight."

"So Eren doesn't eat?" Petra asked.

"It could be that Eren is sharing his food with Mikasa and Armin. If Mikasa is ten pounds less than what she needs to be at, he's feeding her his shares. I bet if we weighed Armin, he'd be rather healthy too." Erwin began to think it over, though the words unconsciously let his mouth.

"I got a good look at the kid when we were at the club. He looked like he was filled out more than them." Levi said while looking at Eren through the glass. "You can't tell with his clothes on though."

"I saw what Armin was wearing. He did look like he had more weight to him." Petra agreed.

"So Eren is starving himself to take care of them." Levi said.

"More than likely it's for Armin. They keep him from doing the work, and then they have to compensate money for him. It puts pressure on the money situation and what they can afford." Erwin said.

"Oh my God..." Petra whined while dropping her head into her hands, her hair becoming a tangled mess within her fingers.

"What's wrong?" Oluo asked.

"What kind of life is this for kids? They shouldn't be worrying about money and when they can eat next. They should worry about zits on their faces and what they're going to tell their crush at school. This life is an actual hell for them."

"And we're going to do everything we can to help them, Petra." Levi said while crossing his arms over his chest. "We just need them to talk."

"They won't talk easily though." Oluo told him.

"Let me talk to Mikasa. Maybe I can talk some sense into her, and then she can talk to Eren." Levi suggested while looking back at Erwin.

"Levi, I already told you no. So long as Mikasa is family, then it contradicts the case." Erwin explained.

"Well then I'll talk to Eren. Let me do _something_ to help." The older man pleaded with him.

"Eren is a possibility, but you can't really talk about Mikasa." The blond said skeptically. "Which leads to more difficulties." Levi groaned before rolling his eyes and stepping away from the group of officers standing around the table. He looked into the room his niece was in, watching her sit quietly in her chair, not a hint of worry. It was as if she hadn't had any emotions to begin with.

This wasn't the same little girl he remembered. He remembered a charming child with a smile that went from ear to ear, a toothy grin that would make him smile as well. He remembered the flower crowns she used to wear, the long dresses she wore that were inevitably covered in mud, and the scratches and bruises from playing too roughly outside.

This was not the same girl. This teenager was a ghost of her former self, a hollow shell that had no presence. She could easily fade into the background and hide, disappear and leave no trace behind, but that wasn't her. Mikasa used to love the attention for whenever she did something right, and she'd do everything good to be praised.

What had they done to her?

"Was that all from Eren's physical exam?" Erwin asked, shaking Levi from his thoughts and to the conversation at hand. He looked back just as Nanaba regretfully shook her head, a frown on her thin lips.

"Eren has his own set of problems. I shouldn't have to tell you the details. You should know what kind of problems he's got. The only upside is that he's completely clean of any sexual dis-"

"Petra," Levi leered to the woman sitting down. Attention fell to her as she lifted her head, and it was a surprise just as much as it wasn't a surprise to see tears lining her eyes and soaking her cheeks.

"Are you okay?" Oluo asked. Petra wiped at her eyes, but even with her attempts to calm herself, it didn't do any good.

"... No," She eventually caved in.

"Oluo, why don't you take her home?" Levi asked the man sitting beside her. "You've both had a long night. Make sure both of you eat and rest well."

"Yes, sir," Oluo said and placed a gentle hand on the small of her back. Petra let out a heavy sigh before nodding her head in a silent agreement. She stood, and the man beside her followed quietly. They left the room in much the same manner, leaving Nanaba, Hanji, Erwin and Levi to themselves. For a moment it became quiet, just the lot of them adjusting themselves in the slightly chilly room. It wasn't until Hanji spoke up that the silence was broken.

"Petra is too kind for this sort of thing. She gets too attached to victims." The brunette said empathetically.

"This isn't your usual case though. Most victims we get are homeless, no friends or family to speak of. These three have created their own little family with just themselves." Erwin stated while looking into the room where Eren paced. "It hits home for all of us, I'm sure."

"Petra may need some time though. If she gets attached to them, it makes things difficult for everyone." Levi said while uncrossing his arms and moving in the direction of the door.

"Levi, what are you doing?" Hanji asked.

"Just going to talk with the brat." Levi said before entering the room. Eren's eyes darted over to the man, his brows furrowing quickly and an ugly frown forming on his thin lips. He turned around completely, his back facing Levi as he stared at the wall. With arms crossed over his chest and feet firmly planted into the tiles, Levi knew he had his full attention. "Are you pouting?" He asked.

Eren didn't answer, didn't even look in his direction. His green eyes continued looking into the grey walls with anger.

"You're eighteen years old. Stop acting like a Goddamn child."

"Fuck you. There, is that better?" Eren spat over his shoulder.

"So you are listening to me." Levi revealed as he took a seat in one of the chairs. "Glad to know."

"What the fuck do you want?" Eren asked, annoyance obvious and dripping off of his tone like venom off snake fangs, which added up in being just as deadly.

"To talk." Levi answered.

"Well talk." Eren said.

"Tell you what. Why don't you tell me your pimp's name, and we can call it a night? Easy, right?" Levi asked. As an answer, Eren gave him the middle finger, eyes still staring at the wall. Levi sighed heavily, his patience waning. Levi was a patient man, but the kid was asking for it.

"How about we talk about your little friend, Armin?" Levi persisted. To that, Eren's head barely turned a fraction in his direction. That struck a chord. "Sucks to be in his position, right? All alone now that you and Mikasa are here. It'd be easy if you told me who your pimp is, that way we can get Armin to a safe environment."

The atmosphere seemed to change. Now that he'd mentioned Armin, Eren seemed furious. If looks could kill seemed to be the perfect description of this particular moment, because Eren's big eyes were burning holes into Levi's head.

"... Go suck a dick, old man." He hissed in disgust and forced his attention back to the wall.

That pissed him off.

Levi stood up from his seat and swiftly made his way to Eren. He grabbed at the unsuspecting kid's shoulder and shoved him into the wall, his head pinned under his free hand with force. Eren groaned in pain, and what Nanaba said had been right. Eren was far weaker than the older man had imagined. He could barely struggled within the man's grasp, his breath already coming out in heavy pants, as if he had run a five mile race.

Levi wasn't pushing it, was he?

"Listen, little shit. I am trying to help your sorry ass, as well as everyone here. I'm not asking for you to bow at our feet, but a little bit more respect would be nice." He hissed by Eren's ear. The brunette looked back at him before managing to twist his head and spit in Levi's face. Levi turned his face away, as if he had been smacked across the cheek, and the whiplash was serious. For once, he actually showed a bit of shock.

This brat just spit on him? This _prostitute_ just spit on him with his disgusting germs? For all Levi knew, Eren had more than enough clients that night, and he didn't even want to think of where the kid's mouth had been.

And he just spit on him.

Levi let go of Eren's shoulder to wipe away the saliva dripping off of his cheek. He shook his hand while sending a glare to Eren.

The brat looked too damn pleased for his own good.

"Levi," Erwin forced his way into the room before the situation could get any farther. Hanji followed close behind, and it was her to pull Levi away while Erwin placed handcuffs on Eren's wrists. "That's enough."

"Fuck you, too!" Eren bit out at Erwin, but the man didn't seem fazed by his actions.

"Hey, watch your Goddamn mouth with him!" Levi barked. He didn't really care if the kid used foul language around him; he could handle a few cuss words, but Erwin was different. Erwin deserved respect, and if Levi had to beat it into the kid, he'd do it.

"Alright, stop it," Erwin said while restraining Eren.

"Levi, you need to calm down." Hanji said.

"He's trying to help your sorry ass," Levi hissed.

"Levi, while I'm flattered that you're trying to redeem my honor, this isn't the way to do it." The blond assured said. "It's late, and I'm sure we're all tired. Why don't you go home and get some rest?"

"What about me?" Eren asked with a small struggle within the blonde's arms.

"You'll be spending the night in one of our holding cells." Erwin told him.

"And Mikasa...?"

"Same as you, but she can't be within the same room. She'll be staying in another holding cell-"

"You can't do that!" Eren suddenly cried and moved to face Erwin, but the man was a brick wall Eren couldn't overcome. His hands still remained restrained in the cuffs with Erwin's grip locked firmly around them. "No, y-you can't! You can't separate us!"

"I'm sorry, Eren, but you need to be separated for some time." Erwin said, and Eren tried slipping from his grasp. "It's only for a little while."

"No! You took Armin away from me already! Don't take Mikasa too!" Eren looked over his shoulder with pleading eyes. When Erwin didn't seem deterred by his look, he looked over to Hanji and Levi, giving them the same look. "Please, she's my sister! She and Armin are all I have!"

"Erwin," Hanji said and motioned towards the blond. Erwin leaned over towards her, letting her place a hand against his ear so she could whisper into it. "While I don't disagree with separating them, putting them in a holding cell for the night is wrong."

"Why is that...?" Erwin asked.

"Because they're still rape victims. We can't treat them poorly if we want their trust."

"I'm not some _child_!" Eren yelled and yanked at the cuffs. Even distracted, the tall man had an iron grip.

"What do you suggest we do then?"

"Listen to me!"

"Stop struggling, brat." Levi spoke up. Eren was daring enough (or maybe it was stupid enough) to kick his leg out from under him and aim for the man standing in front of him. Levi thanked his quick reflexes, because Eren's kick would have hurt had he really hit that place where no one should ever kick.

"Eren," Hanji said. "Don't do that. He's not good at showing it, but he's trying to help you too." She reasoned.

"Bite me!"

"Little shit-" Levi began, but stopped when Erwin spoke up.

"Alright, stop it." Erwin spoke over their bickering. "Hanji, Mikasa can stay with you. Levi, Eren will stay with you at your place." He announced.

There was a moment of silence, the three of them looking at Erwin like he had grown seven heads.

"... Wait, what?" Levi asked.

"It's not a holding cell. Both of them can sleep in a warm and comforting environment tonight." Erwin explained.

"I don't want to stay with _him_!" Eren whined like a child.

"And I don't want him staying with me. Erwin-"

"You both have guest rooms in your places, rooms that aren't being used. It's about time you put them to good use."

"But with him?" Eren yipped.

"Yes, with him. Mikasa can't stay with Levi."

"So why don't I stay with Mikasa?" Eren asked.

"You can't be near her while this investigation is going on." The blond explained while finally taking off the cuffs.

"Please... Please don't take her away from me." Eren turned around and begged the man.

"I'm sorry, Eren. She'll be taken care of though. You won't have to worry about her." Erwin patted the kid's shoulder, but it didn't do anything for Eren.

Eren's shoulders dropped and his expression fell. Levi could see his eyes become glassy with tears, but the brunette refused to shed them. He wasn't going to cry in front of them, but he was damn near close to it.

Levi looked up to Erwin, giving him a questioning look that was asking for answers. Erwin was quiet though, not bothering to answer any questions that he had to answer. Levi had to think that Erwin knew what he was doing, because Erwin had always been right in the past. Things always worked out in the end when he led them, and Levi had to think that this time would be the same.

He had to think that Erwin knew what he was doing.


End file.
